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A Far North restaurant says winning top honours at last year’s LION Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence delivered an immediate lift in trade, as entries open for the 2026 programme.
Kaitaia-based Peekaboo Backyard Eatery took home three awards in 2025, including the Supreme Champion title.
Owner Daniel Fasnacht says the impact was felt almost immediately.
“Our Facebook account nearly exploded the day after the awards with more than 15,000 clicks in a single day, which is huge for a small-town venue,” Daniel says. “Engagement has stayed strong since then with more followers, more messages and more people planning a visit.
“On the floor, we feel it too. Weekends are busier with out-of-town visitors, and we’ve hired additional staff to support the demand. For a regional business like ours, this steady uplift makes a real difference.”
The LION Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence will be held as part of the #HNZ26 Hospitality New Zealand Conference in Rotorua on June 23-24, 2026. Entries close on March 31, with finalists to be announced at the June ceremonies.
Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Kristy Phillips says the awards provide an opportunity to recognise excellence across the food, beverage and accommodation sectors.
“Each year, the awards showcase success stories and celebrate the strength, creativity and resilience of New Zealand’s hospitality and accommodation sector,” Kristy says.
LION chief operating officer and New Zealand country director Craig Baldie says the programme highlights operators who continue to raise standards nationwide.
“Great hospitality businesses are a key driver of our economy and at the heart of thriving communities,” Craig says.
The Supreme Award is selected from category winners by independent judges, while an industry leader will also be inducted into the Hospitality Hall of Fame.
